Scenes from the I AM A MAN Commemoration honoring sanitation workers of the 1968 Sanitation Strike. The event, held at the Orpheum Theater, was hosted by the City of Memphis.
Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

Buy Photo

CNN political pundit Angela Rye talks to the crowd at the Orpheum during the I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. (Photo: Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

After CNN pundit Angela Rye unleashed a blistering critique of the city and its leadership during her keynote address at an MLK50 event Saturday, Memphis' mayor took the unusual step Monday of issuing a rebuttal to "defend our city."

Rye's scathing commentary on the city's policies and progress — or lack thereof — came during the city's commemoration of the iconic "I Am A Man" march, one of several "MLK50" events planned to commemorate the 50th anniversaries this year of the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike and Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.

Her remarks brought a rebuke from the Mayor Jim Strickland, who issued his rebuttal in a special email to constituents and in a social media post on his campaign Facebook account. But she was an instant hit with local political activists, some of whom have repeatedly clashed with the administration on a variety of topics, including immediate removal of Confederate monuments and parking on the Overton Park greensward.

Rye said she was "astonished" by the response from Strickland and his administration.

"He's fragile like Trump," she said.

Asked about the kerfuffle Monday, Memphis Chief Communications Officer Ursula Madden said the mayor was defending the city against an "attack by a person who doesn't live here and was ill-informed." Because the city paid Rye's speaker fee through an events planner, Madden said she wasn't required to make the fee public.

"We will not leave it up to event planners anymore to vet our speakers," Madden said.

Rye, who is also a political strategist and activist, said she was donating $10,000 of the fee to two local advocacy groups and called on Strickland to match her donations and "put his money where his mouth is."

NEWSLETTERS

Get the Breaking News newsletter delivered to your inbox

We're sorry, but something went wrong

Stay on top of the news. The latest breaking news stories delivered to your inbox as they happen.

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Buy Photo

Students from Fayette-Ware High School hang their I Am A Man signs out the window as they drive away from the Orpheum Saturday afternoon after an MLK50 commemoration event. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

February 24, 2018 - Philip Davis looks at his 6-year-old daughter, Rachel, as she covers her ears during a performance by the Tennessee Mass Choir during the rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" during the I AM A MAN Commemoration at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday morning. The event, hosted by the City of Memphis, recognized sanitation workers involved in the 1968 Sanitation Strike. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

February 24, 2018 - City of Memphis sanitation worker Elmore Nickleberry, 86, dances during a performance by the Tennessee Mass Choir during the I AM A MAN Commemoration at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday morning. The event, hosted by the City of Memphis, recognized sanitation workers involved in the 1968 Sanitation Strike. Nickleberry has worked for the city for 64 years. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

A crowd gathers at the Orpheum for the I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word perfomances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

February 24, 2018 - Angela Rye, CNN liberal political commentator and an NPR political analyst, salutes with a Black Power fist at the conclusion of her speech during the Working People's Day of Action union rally at Clayborn Temple on Saturday afternoon. According to www.itsaboutfreedom.org, the event "is about demanding an end to the rigged economy and defending our freedoms." The event called for "working people to come together and fight for decent and equitable pay for our work, affordable health care, quality schools, vibrant communities and a secure future for all of us." Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland poses with the crowd gathering for an I Am A Man commemoration rally at the Orpheum. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

February 24, 2018 - Students from Fayette-Ware High School hold I AM A MAN signs after boarding their school bus following the conclusion of the I AM A MAN Commemoration at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday morning. The event, hosted by the City of Memphis, recognized sanitation workers involved in the 1968 Sanitation Strike. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

February 24, 2018 - Singer Evvie McKinney films a performance by the Stax Music Academy Alumni Band during the I AM A MAN Commemoration at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday morning. The event, hosted by the City of Memphis, recognized sanitation workers involved in the 1968 Sanitation Strike. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

Evvie McKinney performs during I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning at the Orphgeum sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

A crowd listens to Angela Rye at the Orpheum during the I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Al Capone performs during I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning at the Orphgeum sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

The Tennessee Mass Choir performs at the Orpheum during the I Am A Man Commemoration rally sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

A crowd gathers at the Orpheum for the I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

A crowd leaves the Orpheum after the I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings poses with crowd members outside the Orpheum after the I Am A Man Commemoration rally Saturday morning sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Jerlisa Hayslett, 17, and fellow students from Fayette-Ware High School hang their I Am A Man signs out the window as they drive away from the Orpheum Saturday afternoon after an MLK50 commemoration event. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Debra Streeter (right) and Alana Williams dance during a performance by the Stax Music Academy Alumni Band at the Orpheum during the I Am A Man Commemoration rally sponsored by the city of Memphis to kick off a series of MLK50 events in the city. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

February 24, 2018 - University of Memphis student Jordyn Hooks, 18, watches Angela Rye, CNN liberal political commentator and an NPR political analyst, as she delivers a speech during the I AM A MAN Commemoration at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday morning. The event, hosted by the City of Memphis, recognized sanitation workers involved in the 1968 Sanitation Strike. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

February 24, 2018 - The Tennessee Mass Choir performs a selection during the I AM A MAN Commemoration at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday morning. The event, hosted by the City of Memphis, recognized sanitation workers involved in the 1968 Sanitation Strike. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

On 'tough on crime' policing

What Rye said: "The FedUp campaign, which purports to be tough on crime, is overwhelmingly adding to the number of black people who are serving mandatory minimums in your prisons." The FedUp campaign announced in July focuses on advertising, aggressive investigations, and prosecutions seeking maximum sentences.

Strickland's response: "She criticized our efforts to seek stiffer sentences for violent crimes and felons in possession of guns, and to prosecute gun crimes in the federal system. Here in Memphis, though, citizens from every neighborhood are fed up with crime and tell me often how they want to punish those who commit violent acts. I stand with Memphians on this."

Buy Photo

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland poses with the crowd gathering for an I Am A Man commemoration rally at the Orpheum. Hundreds turned out for motivational speakers, spoken word performances and live music.(Photo: Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

Fact check: Generally, the NAACP and other advocacy groups, like Just City locally, argue that tough-on-crime policies disproportionately jail more African-Americans. Just City's Josh Spickler said African-Americans made up 87 percent of the population in the county correctional system in 2017. "These policies do not work," he said. But is FedUp "overwhelmingly adding" to that number? It's hard to say due to a lack of data.

Whether Memphians are generally in favor of tougher sentencing is also hard to prove, although Strickland won his 2015 election after making crime reduction his No. 1 issue.

On education spending

What Rye said: "The city of Memphis spends more on policing than on education."

Strickland's response: "She said Memphis spends more on police than education. That’s not true. Memphians pay state and county taxes for Shelby County Schools, which has a $1.3 billion annual budget. Memphians pay city taxes for Memphis Police, which last year had a $258 million budget."

CLOSE

Political strategist and commentator Angela Rye speaks at the Clayborn Temple following her speech at the city's I AM a Man event.
Wochit

Fact check: If Rye is referring to city government, she's right that the city spends more on policing: The city budgeted $261.8 million for Memphis Police expenses this fiscal year alone. Compare that to the $93 million the city contributed to the now-dissolved Memphis City Schools system in 2007-08, before Shelby County shouldered the cost of local schools. However, because they live in the county, Memphis residents continue to pay for schools via their county and state taxes, as Strickland said. The city is also paying SCS $41.8 million in installments through 2030 as part of a settlement.

On stop-and-frisk

What Rye said: "You can be better. We can be better. I will stand with you in becoming better. But if you won’t, don’t tell me about his dream when you support policies that make the reality for far too many a nightmare. If you won’t, don’t tell me about the content of my character when you’re profiling, stopping and frisking, setting unaffordable bail, doling out our citizens, my brothers and sisters. If you won’t, don’t tell me about love when you are cowering to fascism and racism and bigotry cloaked in Trumpism."

Strickland's response: "She said we use the policing tactic of 'stop-and-frisk.' We do not."

On progress in Memphis

What Rye said: "You wanted to have a reverse march today and you couldn’t. And you couldn’t because we can’t substantially honor progress that doesn’t exist."

Strickland's response: "She said Memphis has made no progress in 50 years. Yet just with our sanitation workers alone, there has been tremendous progress. Our current workers make a living wage, receive benefits and have a strong retirement plan — all items that weren’t provided in 1968."

Fact check: Of course, Rye's comment about Memphis' progress being nonexistent isn't true. Memphis has taken many strides since 1968, as Elmore Nickleberry and other sanitation workers from that era are quick to acknowledge. But in context, Rye seems to be building to the point that, as she put it later, "This is not the Memphis that Dr. King would have appreciated and talked about going into the Promise Land." Whether Memphis has made the kind of progress King envisioned is up for debate.

Some of the claims Rye made that weren't singled out: Memphis has the highest black child poverty rate in the nation (true compared to other large metros); one of the highest rates of disconnected youth (Memphis was in the top 10 in 2017, one report says); and is fighting an existing ACLU lawsuit after allegedly engaging in political surveillance and requiring that some political activists must get a police escort in City Hall (whether the city persecuted activists in various ways is under litigation).

Reach Ryan Poe at poe@commercialappeal.com and on Twitter at @ryanpoe.